Confident McKenzie continues to show growth for Illini
Nov. 30—Close
Illinois guard Adalia McKenzie (24) shoots over Central Connecticut's guard Ciera Pearson (21) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Illinois forward Kendall Bostic (44) is found by Central Connecticut's guard Amaya Williams (5) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Illinois guard Makira Cook (3) and Central Connecticut's forward Meghan Kenefick (32) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Illinois guard Makira Cook (3) and Central Connecticut's guard Amaya Williams (5) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Illinois forward Shay Bollin (22) and Central Connecticut's guard Livvy Pizzitola (15) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Illinois head coach Shauna Green in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Illinois center Camille Hobby (41) brings down a rebound in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Illinois center Camille Hobby (41) and Central Connecticut's guard Ciera Pearson (21) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Illinois guard Makira Cook (3) shoots as Illinois center Camille Hobby (41) stays out of the way and Central Connecticut's guard Belle Lanpher (2) defends in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Illinois asst .coaches in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Illinois guard Kam'Ren Rhodes (4) and Central Connecticut's forward Meghan Kenefick (32) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Illinois forward Brynn Shoup-Hill (23) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Illinois guard Adalia McKenzie (24) and Central Connecticut's guard Ally Sentance (12) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Illinois bench reacts to a play in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Illinois center Camille Hobby (41) and Central Connecticut's forward Meghan Kenefick (32) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Illinois center Camille Hobby (41) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Crowd in a NCAA women's basketball game between Illinois and Central Connecticut at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Illinois forward Shay Bollin (22) and Central Connecticut's guard Emma Bruen (10) rebound in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Illinois forward Shay Bollin (22) passes to Illinois guard Jada Peebles (11) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Illinois head coach Shauna Green in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Fan Milo Neal, 6, Savoy, performs the YMCA song with band member David Whang in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Orange Krush Chair Brooke Voelker keeps a tally of air balls by Central Connecticut in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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Jill Kartsounes participates in the selfie promo during a time out in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
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PHOTO GALLERY: Central Connecticut State at Illinois women's basketball
Illinois vs. Central Connecticut in a NCAA women's basketball game at the
State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
Illinois guard Adalia McKenzie (24) shoots over Central Connecticut's guard Ciera Pearson (21) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Illinois forward Kendall Bostic (44) is found by Central Connecticut's guard Amaya Williams (5) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Illinois guard Makira Cook (3) and Central Connecticut's forward Meghan Kenefick (32) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Illinois guard Makira Cook (3) and Central Connecticut's guard Amaya Williams (5) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Illinois forward Shay Bollin (22) and Central Connecticut's guard Livvy Pizzitola (15) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Illinois head coach Shauna Green in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Illinois center Camille Hobby (41) brings down a rebound in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Illinois center Camille Hobby (41) and Central Connecticut's guard Ciera Pearson (21) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Illinois guard Makira Cook (3) shoots as Illinois center Camille Hobby (41) stays out of the way and Central Connecticut's guard Belle Lanpher (2) defends in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Illinois asst .coaches in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Illinois guard Kam'Ren Rhodes (4) and Central Connecticut's forward Meghan Kenefick (32) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Illinois forward Brynn Shoup-Hill (23) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Illinois guard Adalia McKenzie (24) and Central Connecticut's guard Ally Sentance (12) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Illinois bench reacts to a play in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Illinois center Camille Hobby (41) and Central Connecticut's forward Meghan Kenefick (32) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Illinois center Camille Hobby (41) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Crowd in a NCAA women's basketball game between Illinois and Central Connecticut at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Illinois forward Shay Bollin (22) and Central Connecticut's guard Emma Bruen (10) rebound in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Illinois forward Shay Bollin (22) passes to Illinois guard Jada Peebles (11) in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Illinois head coach Shauna Green in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Fan Milo Neal, 6, Savoy, performs the YMCA song with band member David Whang in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Orange Krush Chair Brooke Voelker keeps a tally of air balls by Central Connecticut in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Jill Kartsounes participates in the selfie promo during a time out in a NCAA women's basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
CHAMPAIGN — Illinois women's basketball coach Shauna Green called Adalia McKenzie the team's X-factor the day before the Illini's nonconference home matchup against Central Connecticut State.
Green repeated the statement after McKenzie's performance during an 89-50 victory against the Blue Devils in front of an announced crowd of 2,743 fans at State Farm Center on Wednesday night.
McKenzie delivered 20 points and was 7 of 9 from the field. The 5-foot-10 junior guard isn't known for her three-point shooting, but she made both of her attempts from beyond the arc. And she also added six assists, four steals and three rebounds. All in an efficient 21 minutes.
The way McKenzie started out her junior season was uncharacteristic, combining for just 17 points in the first three games against Morehead State, Marquette and Saint Peter's.
But McKenzie has become a completely different player for the Illini (4-2) since then. In the practice gym at Ubben Basketball Complex and in games.
"(At the start of the season), she struggled. She struggled," Green said. "I'm like, 'This is not the same Dal that we're used to from last year.' From the last three weeks, she has been absolutely amazing. Energy high, every day in practice, every game. When she's like that, everyone feeds off her. She sets the tone for us just from an energy factor.
"I haven't had to say anything to her in practice for like two weeks. She's just been constant motor, constant energy, defending. She's just been like a dog every day. (On Tuesday in practice), there was one moment, I kind of said something to her, she was kind of slacking a little bit. I said something to her and boom, she bounced right back. That's when I know there has been growth, because there were some times last year where maybe the response wasn't that quickly. Maybe she couldn't bounce back that quickly."
McKenzie's turnaround started in Illinois' 79-68 loss to Notre Dame on Nov. 18 in Washington, D.C., when she scored 17 points and had eight rebounds. The progress continued into Sunday's 90-58 win against Canisius, with 15 points and seven rebounds.
And McKenzie carried that over into Wednesday night's 39-point win against the Blue Devils (1-6).
McKenzie wasn't sure afterward if she took more joy from what she did defensively on Central Connecticut senior guard Belle Lanpher. Or on the offensive end with McKenzie finally seeing a three-point shot go through the net.
She had missed her previous three attempts this season and is now 11 of 56 in her Illinois career.
Still, where McKenzie is right now with her game was evident in the postgame press conference on Wednesday night. The word "proud" came up as McKenzie described the effect she made at both ends of the floor against the Blue Devils.
"It definitely gave me confidence because (three-point shooting) is something that I have been working on," McKenzie said. "When you utilize your strengths, it's comfortable just doing that, and driving, I know that's one of my strengths and I love going straight to the basket, but it does take a lot of time and effort to get consistent reps and it takes sacrifice and sacrifice isn't always easy, but I'm surrounded by a great team and great coaches. They've been making it easier for me to get better at that."
Kendall Bostic, who like McKenzie was one of five holdovers who stuck around after the coaching change from Nancy Fahey to Green before the start of the 2022-23 season, credited Green for helping create a better version of McKenzie.
That Bostic, who added 18 points and eight rebounds on Wednesday night, also finds herself in a similar position to McKenzie has validated the growth they both have been experienced in the 20 months Green has been the coach at Illinois.
"When Coach Green first got here, I really saw a shift in (McKenzie's) confidence and her work ethic and just being in here all the time, being able to change her game and I really think this year she's just fine-tuning those things," Bostic said. "I really think she's made a conscious effort to expand her game a little bit, which will help change the scout on her and help us as a whole. I'm really proud of her ... because I know it's hard at this level to make a change like that."
